Home inspiration
Vanessa Clewett and Luke James have transformed a dark and dated house into a bright and welcoming family home, full of festive sparkle
LIVING ROOM
This house really comes into its own at Christmas, when the whole family comes together to celebrate the festive season,’ says Vanessa Clewett of her elegant home, newly decorated for the holidays. ‘It’s a fabulous house for entertaining and parties, especially with the extra-large kitchen and adjoining dining room.’
Although the house is chic, elegant and the perfect party space, it wasn’t always so, with the interior leaving a lot to be desired when Vanessa and her husband Luke first viewed it.
‘We were living in a converted barn in the countryside, but wanted a house within walking distance of the children’s school,’ says Vanessa. ‘It was all about location.’ After viewing several properties in Bedford, the couple found a house they both liked. ‘It was centrally located, Victorian and detached, and had lots of character,’ says Vanessa. ‘I loved its high ceilings and decorative windows.’ >>
HALLWAY
The house was in the perfect location and ideally sized, but the interior was not so great. ‘It was badly in need of a full cosmetic makeover. Everything looked very tired – all 1980s red walls and dark wood, with lots of small rooms and a cramped, old-fashioned kitchen.’
KITCHEN
Despite the huge amount of work that lay ahead, Vanessa and Luke weren’t put off, having learnt so much from renovating their previous home. ‘We knew this would be a much bigger undertaking and we would have to live on-site while the work was done, putting up with the mess and disruption,’ says Vanessa.
Reconfiguring the downstairs layout and remodelling the kitchen to give the space a better sense of flow were the top priorities, and Vanessa and Luke set to work, removing a dividing wall, dismantling an old conservatory and blocking up redundant doorways. ‘The idea was to have a contemporary kitchen-cum-family room with an open-plan feel. We also wanted a separate dining room for entertaining and a more grown-up sitting room.’ Once the downst
